Hogan: Trump challenge now 'doesn't make any sense at all'

Photo: AP

March 21, 2019 06:52 PM

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — While Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan isn't completely ruling out a potential primary challenge to President Donald Trump, he said Thursday that currently "it doesn't make any sense at all."

Hogan spoke to reporters Thursday with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Hogan friend who is in Maryland for a book promotion. Christie said he doesn't see a political path at the moment for challenging the president in a primary, citing Trump's approval ratings among Republicans.

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"Look, a lot of other people are talking about it. I haven't been talking about it," Hogan said. "I think Governor Christie said it exactly the way I have been saying it and that is that currently it doesn't make any sense at all, but we just don't know what the future holds and don't know what that might look like several months from now."

In November, Hogan became only the second Republican governor to ever win re-election in Maryland. Christie said he's unsure what Hogan's future will be in the GOP, but he's confident "it's going to be a really bright one nationally." Christie said Hogan was being practical in evaluating political challenges and opportunities.

"You have to be ready to respond to any change in circumstances that come in our country," Christie said. "That's what leadership is expected to do. Whether it's a change in circumstance in anything that happens here in Maryland or a change in circumstance that happens nationally, you have to be ready to respond, and he's a good politician and a great leader, and he'll figure out how to do that."